Working independently and as an associate consultant in the UK and overseas, to introduce Lean principles, change management and the development of continuous improvement processes with organisations within both the service and manufacturing sectors.

Working with clients to develop customised programmes of improvement to suit specific requirements.

Presentation of improvement proposals to key stakeholders.

Development of lean Process tools and training material.

Responsible for a workforce of up to 100 personnel at two separate locations in Ystradgynlais and Brynaman, within the Remploy Furniture Group, producing laboratory and office furniture for schools, colleges and Local Authorities.

Latterly managing a highly challenging and politically sensitive transition involving the closure of the above sites and the transfer of people and processes to a receiving site at Baglan. Balancing the priorities of maintaining production levels whilst sustaining morale, handling individual consultations with employees and carers and defusing potential conflicts of interest between a range of stakeholders.

Achievements

 Set up a project team, increasing the rate of production from 30 units of furniture per week to an average of 350units.

 Introduction of a one piece flow system, overcoming cultural and traditional mindsets of the workforce used to large batch production using Kaizen techniques.

 Development of a production planning system to enable the attainment of required capacities over 13 production lines.

 Developed the warehouse facility, bringing factored items in-house and streamlining the whole process, resulting in reduced costs and a 47 % reduction in stocks held between March 05 and March 07.
 Rationalised and reduced the workforce by 25% and improved communication channels between the two sites to attain an improved production process.

 Facilitated improved team working between traditionally discrete functions, setting up an interdisciplinary team from Sales, Engineering, Manufacturing, Purchasing and Installation to improve the quality of the product and deliver an improved service to the customers.

 Supported a new development programme and process for staff, successfully coaching and supporting those with no previous qualifications through accredited courses such as NEBOSH and ILM, significantly improving morale. Introduced basic skills training into both sites becoming first Remploy Site to attain Basic Skills Employer pledge.

 Reduced absences by setting up one to one meetings with every employee to identify potential problems such as health and poverty related issue and worked with a range of supporting organisations to alleviate the problems

Responsibilities

 Controlling finance, purchasing, HR, Health and Safety, quality and Continuous Improvement.

 Agreeing targets and planning production activities to maximise the use of capacity and deliver the highest quality customer service.

 Proactively establishing and sustaining ‘lean’ manufacturing, continuous improvement and health and safety practices.

 Leading and developing the Team Leaders and support personnel to improve individual and team performance.

A Kaizen position, reporting directly to the Plant Director, responsible for improving
the quality and productivity of the division. Validated by the Valeo Group as an official
European trainer of Kaizen techniques on a system based on the Toyota Production System.

 Introduced a production planning system based on Kanban and the sequenced production of small batches.

 Introduced SMED to reduce the changeover times of injection moulding presses from 20 minutes to 5 and a train supply system to ensure cyclical supply of raw material to the production lines.

 Developed auto quality within the plant.

 Successful facilitated a number of Hoshin workshops leading to significant productivity gains.

 Trained the workforce at all levels leading to the direct employees becoming increasingly autonomous within the Valeo Group.

First line management of a number of production lines in a first tier supplier to the automotive market. Recruitment, development and IR responsibilities for the workforce. Control of production and deliveries within a stringent production system.

Managed a network of Tourist Information Centres and undertook a range of marketing activities such as the compilation of promotional literature, research, copy writing, setting up an exhibition of promotional material and report writing